Microsoft Releases Final Version IE8

Microsoft recently released the final version of Internet Explorer 8. The general consensus is that while IE8 is an improvement over IE7 in many cases, it has some major problems that make it virtually impossible to recommend.

On the positive side, IE8 doesn't change much from the IE7 interface, so you won't have to learn many new ways of finding commands or tools you need. And, IE8 upgrades some features: for example, it offers a very capable privacy mode (which stores none of the details of your browsing session as long as you have it activated), and relevant image thumbnails now pop up if you use the embedded search box (unfortunately, these don't work if you have Google as your default provider, though). IE8 also adds color-coded tabs: when you open a new tab by following a link on a website, it's instantly given the same color as the parent tab, helping you keep things in order.

The downside is IE8 is less stable than IE7, prone not just to crashes but also hang-ups where windows can't be closed and the entire application freezes. IE8 is also slow. Pages load more slowly vs. the competition, and even vs. IE7.

IE8's has one fatal flaw. Microsoft has been notoriously ignorant of web standards for many years, but it's allegedly trying to correct that, starting with IE8. In the past, to get around IE's shortcomings, web designers have been building pages that look right with IE, often having to develop two sites (one for IE, one for everyone else) so that users see the correct design when they visit. Now, Microsoft has changed its engine so that those old tricks no longer work, and the upshot is that thousands (millions?) of web sites no longer render correctly with IE8.

Microsoft's solution is "Compatibility Mode," which lets IE8 pretend it's IE7, if you click a small button (which looks like a piece of paper torn in half) that's to the immediate right of the address bar. The list of websites that don't work with IE8 is enormous (including eBay, Apple.com, Facebook, Google, and even Microsoft.com), so Microsoft issued a running table of sites that automatically fall back to Compatibility Mode when you visit them (you won't even see the Compatibility Mode icon when you hit one of these sites). If a site's not on the list (and there's no way to get them all on the list), get ready for headaches. The rendering issues may be as minimal as missing characters or ads appearing in the wrong space, or as big as a page being completely blank. If you don't know better -- and the vast majority of users won't - you'll assume the website is "broken" and won't realize that clicking that Compatibility Mode icon will make it all better.

There's no great solution here. Microsoft is right to take a more standards-oriented approach to the web, but the result is likely to confuse millions of people who don't understand what's happening, and who frankly don't care, either. They just want the web to work, without fuss and without complaint, and for all of those users out there, my advice is to use a different browser, one that won't give you so many headaches.

Facebook Good for Productivity

A recent study by the University of Melbourne says that Twittering or catching up on Facebook during office hours actually makes for a more productive employee. The study found that people who use the Internet for personal reasons at work are about 9 percent more productive that those who do not.

Study author Brent Coker, from the department of management and marketing, said "workplace Internet leisure browsing," or WILB, helped to sharpened workers' concentration. "People need to zone out for a bit to get back their concentration," Coker said.

"Short and unobtrusive breaks, such as a quick surf of the Internet, enables the mind to rest itself, leading to a higher total net concentration for a days' work, and as a result, increased productivity," he said.

According to the study of 300 workers, 70 percent of people who use the Internet at work engage in WILB.

"Firms spend millions on software to block their employees from watching videos, using social networking sites or shopping online under the pretence that it costs millions in lost productivity," said Coker. "That's not always the case."

However, Coker said the study looked at people who browsed in moderation, or were on the Internet for less than 20 percent of their total time in the office. "Those who behave with Internet addiction tendencies will have a lower productivity than those without," he said. Well, that probably goes without saying.

Recently, the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs engaged hodgsonConsulting to provide a new look and feel and to implement a more effective shopping cart solution for their site.

The Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs is a partnership of over 270 affiliated clubs with 25,000 members across North America, dedicated to involving Jewish Men in Jewish Life. FJMC transforms ordinary club events to the extraordinary through innovative programs that enhance spirituality, increase learning, develop leadership skills, and foster fellowship. The group wanted a site that would reflect the dynamic, growing nature of their organization, and a new navigational structure that would allow visitors to quickly access information. In addition, FJMC wanted a shopping cart that would allow them greater flexibility in listing and promoting their products.

Hodgson developed a new design for the site and created a dynamic home page that allows FJMC to maintain and update multiple unique calls to action, promoting various programs and events. The navigational structure was updated to provide a more intuitive visit for users and new search options, including a global search and an option to allow visitors to search for clubs in their area, allow visitors to engage with the site on their own terms. In addition, Hodgson implemented a new shopping cart which links product sales and online donations in a more flexible system, which also provides FJMC with greater backend reporting capability. The result is a site that remains true to the traditions and values of FJMC while presenting a fresher, more dynamic face.